Container closure detector and throwout mechanism



June 28, 1955 F. HUNTAR ETAL 2,711,821

CONTAINER CLOSURE DETECTOR AND THROWOUT MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS )1; 4 m BY c9.

ATTORNEYS June 28, 1955 HUNTAR ET 2,711,821

CONTAINER CLOSURE DETECTOR AND THROWOU'I' MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1949 v 2 Sheets-Shet 2 ATTORNEYS States A CONTAINER CLOSURE DETECTOR AND THROWGUT MECHANISM Application December 21, 1949, Serial No. 134,282

Claims. (Cl. 209-72) The present invention relates to container or can treating machines and has particular reference to an improved mechanism for detecting and throwing out empty abnormally closed containers having attached closure elements as an incident to preparing the containers for a subsequent operation, such as coating, sterilizing, filling or the like.

In the manufacture and filling of containers having attached closure elements, it is sometimes necessary to perform certain operations on the containers with their attached closure elements in an open position so as to gain access to the interior of the containers. Occasionally a container will be advanced into position for such an operation, with its closure element in a closed position and this may cause considerable trouble unless the abnormal container is sidetracked.

The instant invention contemplates an improved mechanism for detecting such abnormal containers and for throwing them out of the regular line of travel of the normal containers to be operated upon.

An object of the invention is the provision in a container treating machine of an improved detecting and throwout mechanism wherein a container with a closed closure element will be detected and simultaneously rejected from the machine in a single, simple movement of a detector element forming a part of the mechanism.

Another object is the provision of such a detecting and throwout mechanism which is simple in construction and has a minimum number of moving parts so as to reduce wear and tear on the mechanism and provide for minimum maintenance.

Another object is the provision of such a detecting and throwout mechanism which is readily adjusted to containers of difierent sizes.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a part of a container treating machine embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the machine as viewed along the broken line 2-2 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the machine as viewed along the line 3-3 in Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the back of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged part sectional, part elevational view taken substantially along the broken line 5-5 in Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is an elevational detail as viewed from the left in Fig. 4, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of certain of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 5, with parts broken away.

' atent 2,71 1,82 l Patented June 28, 1955 As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings disclose container advancing and supporting portions of a treating machine such as a milk filler, and a mechanism for detecting and rejecting abnormally closed empty milk containers A of the character disclosed in United States Patent 2,085,979 issued July 6, 1937 to John M. Hothersall on Container. The containers A preferably are square in configuration, being provided with flat tops and bottoms and are made from fibre material. The top of each container is formed with a filling and dispensing opening B (Fig. 1) which is adapted to be sealed, after the container is filled. Sealing of the opening is effected by a friction plug closure element or member C hingedly attached to the top of the container by a wire staple D.

The containers A are advanced through the treating machine along a curved path of travel in an upright position with their closure elements C raised and open. This advancement of the containers preferably is effected in any intermittent or step-by-step manner by a rotatable turret 11 (Figs. 1 and 5) comprising a pair of vertically spaced turret discs 12 mounted on a vertical shaft 13 carried in a bearing sleeve 14 which may form a part of the treating machine frame. The shaft is rotated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

The turret discs 12 are provided at their outer peripheries with spaced pockets 16 for engaging and propelling the containers. During this advancement of the containers they are supported on and slide along a pair of spaced and concentric support rails 17, 18 disposed below the path of travel of the turret pockets. A curved guide rail 19 disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the turret discs 12 retain the containers A in their turret pockets.

During this intermittent advancement of the containers A, they are stopped at a detecting station P (Fig. 1) to detect any containers, known as abnormal containers, in which the closure element is in a closed position instead of the required open position. Upon approaching this station, a container A rides off the support rails 17, 18 and is supported on a yieldable and adjustable throwout platform G (Fig. 7) located at the station. For this purpose the support rails 17, 18 and the guide rail 19 are broken away at this station and the spaces between these rails are bridged by the platform G so that the container can readily slide from one to the other without interference.

The platform G comprises a yieldable table 21 (Figs. 5 and 7), a short platform rail 22, and a short guide rail 23. The table 21 is disposed in the space between the interrupted ends of the inner support rail 17 (see Fig. l), the table bridging this space, with the upper surface of the table substantially flush with the top surface of the support rail to form a free continuation of the support rail. The outer edge of the table is formed with a concave shaped, curved edge 24 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The short platform rail 22 bridges the space between the interrupted ends of the outer support rail 18 and forms a free continuation of this rail, the upper faces of the two rails being substantially flush. One end 26 of the platform rail 22 is bent downwardly and extends under and engages the support rail 13 and serves as a stop for holding the platform rail in proper position.

The space between the broken or interrupted ends of the guide rail 19 is bridged by the short guide rail 23. This short guide rail is located adjacent and slightly above the platform rail 22 where it will normally engage and guide the container adjacent its lower end.

The short platform rail 22 and the short guide rail 23 are secured to the outer end of a platform arm 27 which extends back under the platform table 21 at a lower level and terminates in line with the inner end of the table. At their inner ends, both the table 21 and the arm 27 are mounted on a pair of spaced and parallel pivot pins 28, 29 respectively (Figs. 5 and 7). The outer ends of these pins extend into a pair of vertically disposed spaced and parallel bearing blocks 31, 32 located one on each side of the table and the arm (see also Figs. 2 and 4). The bearing blocks 31, 32 in turn are carried on pivots 34 which extend into the blocks intermediate the pivot pins 28, 29. The pivots 34 are threadedly secured in the upper ends of a yoke 35 bolted to a bracket 36 carried on the turret shaft bearing sleeve 14.

A tension spring 37 (Fig. 4) connected between a lug 38 on the arm 27 and lug 39 on the yoke 35 keeps the arm 27 in a raised position and yieldably holds the end 26 of the platform rail 22 in engagement with the container support rail 18 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in full lines in Fig. 5. Similarly, a tension spring 41 (Fig. 4) con nected between a lug 42 on the table 21 and a lug 43 on the yoke 35 keeps the table in a raised position. A stepped section 44 (Fig. 7) on the table 21 adjacent one end of its curved edge 24, underlaps a similar section 45 (Fig. 2) of a curved discharge guide rail 46 (Fig. 1) and thus serves as a stop for yieldably holding the table 21 in proper position. The discharge guide rail 46 is on a level with the container support rails 17, 18.

Hence when a container rides off the support rails 17, 18 and is fuliy seated on the throwout platform G, it is partially supported on the table 21 adjacent its curved edge 24 and partially on the platform rail 22, with the guide rail 23 holding the container in position as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5. While the container is at rest on the platform G, it is tested for the position of its closure element C. This test is made by a detector pin 51 (Fig. 5 which is disposed above the path of travel of the container and in line with the filling and dispensing opening B of a container at rest on the platform G.

The detector pin 51 depends from the outer end of a cam arm 52 mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot shaft 53 carried in a bracket 54 which may be a part of the container treating machine. The inner end of the cam arm 52 carries a cam roller 55 which operates in a cam groove 56 of a face cam 57 mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 58 journaled in the bracket 54. The shaft 58 may be rotated in any suitable manner in time with the advancement of the containers A by the turret 11 so that it will make one revolution for every stepped advancement or partial rotation of the turret.

Hence every time a container A is positioned on the platform *3, the cam 57 rocks the cam arm 52 and thereby moves the detector pin 51 toward the container through a down or detecting stroke and thence through an up or return stroke, thus completing one cycle of operation. If the closure eiement C of the container being tested, is in its proper fully raised or open position, as illustrated in two instances in Fig. l, the filling and dispensing open ing ,8 of the container will be exposed.

Hence when the detector pin 51 moves down through a detecting stroke, it passes down into the exposed opening B until it completes its stroke and thence rises through its return stroke without affecting the container. The container is thus detected as a good or properly open container. Upon the next partial rotation of the turret 1.1, this container will be swept off the platform G and advanced along the continuing support rails 17, 18 and guide rail 1?? for the filling or other operation.

lf, however. the closure element C of the container being tested, is in a closed position as shown in two instances in Fig. l, the filling and dispensing opening B of the container will be covered by the closed or improperly positioned closure clement C. Hence when the detector pin 51 moves down through a detecting stroke, it enga es against the closed element C and thus exerts a pressure against the top of the container. As the pin continues to move down it increases the pressure and thus a forces the entire container downwardly on its platform G. This downward movement of the container presses down and pivots the table 21 and the platform arm 27 against the resistance of their springs 37, 41, into the inclined position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and thereby lowers the bottom of the container into a position below the level of the support rails 17, 13.

During this downward movement of the container, the bottom of the container remains in supporting engagent with the platform rail 22. However, since the platform. arm. rocks into an inclined position, the short guide rail 23 moves down below the bottom of the container and no longer guides the container, as shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 5. This permits the container to slide outwardly along the inclined table 21.

if desired, the detected container may be permitted to slide entirely of; the platform G to any suitable place of discard, such as a hopper or a basket or other receptacle. However, under normal operating conditions the containers thus discarded are in no way damaged and can he re-used after their closure elements have been properly opened. For this reason, a detected container as it slides outwardly from the inclined table 21 preferably enters into a pocket 61 (Fig. 1) of a rotatable discharge or throwout turret 62 disposed at the detector station F adjacent the platform G.

As the container enters the turret pocket 61, it rides off the table 21, and the table acting under its spring 41, immediately snaps up into its original position where it is now behind the container with its curved edge 24 engaging the container and holding it in the turret pocket as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, the curved table edge 24 also guiding the advancing container toward the discharge rail 46 (Fig. 1). This outward movement of the container also positions the top of the container under a curved guide rail 63 (Figs. 1 and 5) which holds the container in its depressed position. This locking of the depressed container in place is effected just as the detecting pin 51 completes its down stroke. Hence the pin immediately moves up through its return stroke, leaving the container in its depressed and locked position.

Upon the next partial rotation of the advancing turret 11, the throwout turret 62 makes a similar partial rotation in time with the advancing turret and this sweeps the abnormal, depressed container out of the detecting station and diverts it from the regular path of travel of the good or open containers. As the moving container is removed from the detecting station, the curved edge 24 of the table 21 and the discharge rail 46 serve as a continuous guide for diverting the container to one side of the regular path of travel of the containers.

During this diverting action the container slides off of the platform rail 22 onto a discharge supporting rail 64 which together with the discharge rail 46 and the guide rail 63 direct the abnormal container to any suitable place of deposit for re-use without in any way damaging the container. The rails 46, 64 (see Fig. 3) are supported on a bracket 66 secured to a clamp ring 67 surrounding a bearing sleeve 68 which may be a part of the frame of the container treating machine.

The bearing sleeve 68 carries a vertical shaft 69 which extends above the sleeve and on which the discharge turret 62 is mounted. The shaft is rotated intermittently in any suitable manner in time with the advancing turret 11 so that the pockets of the two turrets align in proper position for each container advanced into the detecting station. As soon as an abnormal container has been removed from the detecting station the platform arm 27, under the action of its spring 37, snaps up into its original position and thus locates the platform rail 22 and the guide rail 23 for the next container to be tested.

Provision is made for adjusting the platform G for containers of different cross-sectional dimensions. In the mechanism shown in the drawings this adjustment is made for quart size and for the smaller pint size containers.

5 For this purpose, the upper end of the arm of the yoke 35 disposed adjacent the bearing block 32 is formed in fork-fashion so as to provide two upright prongs 71, 72 (Fig. 6). The bearing block 32 is made longer than its mating bearing block 31, its upper end extending above the block 31 and carrying a locking pin 73 (see also Fig. 4) which projects outwardly between the two prongs 71, '72. A tension spring 74 connects the outer end of the pin 73 with a lug 75 formed on the yoke 35. The lug 75 is located in a predetermined relation to the center of the pivot 34 so that the spring serves as a toggle lock for holding the pin 73 into engagement with either of the prongs 7 ll, 72.

When the locking spring 74 holds the pin 73 against the prong 71 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the parallel bearing blocks 31, 32 are disposed at an angle to the vertical as clearly shown in Fig. 6, which angle determines the distance between the short guide rail 23 and the outer curved edge 24 of the table 21 of the platform G, this distance as shown in the drawings by way of example being for the quart size container. By manually rocking the bearing blocks 31, 32 on their pivots 34 into an angular position oppositely disposed to that shown in Fig. 6, the locking pin 73 is caused to engage against the prong 72. This rocking of the bearing blocks, pushes rails 19, 46 must also be adjusted or replaced. Such an adjustment or replacement of these rails may be effected in the usual manner. Since this is a well known expedient and involves no novel features, the manner of adjusting or replacing these rails is omitted from the drawings because of the numerous structures which are available for this purpose.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In a machine for treating containers having a filling opening and an attached closure element, the combination of a detector element movable toward and away from a container for detecting containers having their filling openings in other than a fully open condition, means for actuating said detector element, a platform arm disposed opposite said detector element, a pivotal mounting for said arm, a support rail carried on said arm for supporting a container during the detecting operation, means for yieldably holding said arm in container supporting position, a guide rail disposed adjacent said support rail for locating and guiding said supported container, a table disposed adjacent said support rail for partially supporting said container, a pivotal mounting for said table, means for yiedably holding said table in container supporting position, said platform arm with the support rail and said table being displaceable by a detected container through pressure applied to said container by said detector element for discarding said detected container, said table being shaped to push said detected container outwardly on said support rail and to snap up behind said container and hold it against return movement, a block carrying said pivotal mountings for said platform. arm and said table, a pivotal mounting for said block, and a toggle spring lock device for holding said block in different positions to adjust the distance between said guide rail and said table for the accommodation of containers of different sizes.

2. In a machine for treating containers each having a filling opening and an attached closure element, the combination of feeding devices for advancing the containers along a predetermined path of travel, a detector device having a pin disposed adjacent the path of the filling openings of said containers and movable toward and away from a said advancing container for entering into the filling opening of the container when its closure element is fully open and for engaging said closure element when it obstructs said filling opening and thereby displacing the obstructed container, a yieldable support opposite said detector device and adjacent the path of travel of said containers for supporting the container during the detecting operation, said support being pivotally mounted laterally relative to said path of travel, a guide rail on the free end of said support and laterally of said path of travel for guiding the containers along said path of travel, said support yielding and tilting under said displacement of the obstructed container and said guide rail being thereby moved from its said guiding position relative to said obstructed container whereby said container is freed for lateral movement from said path of travel, and guide means on said support, and engageable with said container when thus displaced and cooperating with said feeding devices for discharging and discarding the displaced container laterally from said path of travel of the containers.

3. In a machine for treating containers each having a filling opening and an attached closure element, the combination of feeding devices for advancing the containers along a predetermined path of travel, a detector device having a pin disposed adjacent the path of the filling openings of said containers and movable toward and away from a said advancing container for entering into the filling opening of the container when its closure element is fully open and for engaging said closure element when it obstructs said filling opening and thereby displacing the obstructed container, at yieldable support opposite said detector device and adjacent the path of travel of said containers for supporting the container during the detecting operation, said support being pivotally mounted laterally relative to said path of travel, a guide rail on the free end of said support and laterally of said path of travel for guiding the containers along said path of travel, said support yielding and tilting under said displacement of the obstructed container and said guide rail being thereby moved from its said guiding position relative to said ohstructed container whereby said container is freed for lateral movement from said path of travel of the containers, a locking member adjacent said detector device and engageable by said displaced container to hold said container in displaced position, and means. cooperating with said feeding devices and engageable with said locked container for discharging the displaced container laterally from said path of travel.

4. In a machine for treating containers having a filling opening and an attached closure element, the combination of a detector element movable toward and away from a container for entering into a filling opening of the container when it is in a fully open condition, means for actuating said detector element, a platform arm disposed opposite said detector element, a pivotal mounting for said arm, a support rail carried on said arm for supporting a container during the detecting operation, means for yieldably holding said arm in container supporting position and biased toward said detector element, a table disposed adjacent said support rail and cooperating with said rail for supporting said container, a pivotal mounting for said table, means for yieldably holding said table in container supporting position and biased toward said detector element, said platform arm with its support rail and said table being displaceable by pressure applied to said container closure element by said detector element when the closure element of the container closes its filling opening and prevents entrance of said detector element, said table being shaped to direct said detected container outwardly on said support rail as rail and table are displaced and to snap up behind said displaced container, a locking member adjacent said detector element and en gageable by said displaced container to hold said container in displaced position, and means engageable with said locked container for removing it from said support rail.

5. A machine for treating containers having a filling opening and an attached closure element, the combination of a detector element movable toward and away from a container for detecting and applying pressure to the closure element of said container when said element is in other than a fully open position, means for actuating said detector element, a yieldable platform comprising a table and a platform arm normally disposed in and biased toward a horizontal position opposite said detector element for supporting the container, a pivotal mounting for said table, a pivotal mounting for said platform arm, said table being formed with a container guiding edge at its free end, a rail disposed adjacent said detector element and lower than the top of said supported container for locating and retaining said container, said platform being displaced into an inclined position by said pressure applied against a closure element improperly positioned over the filling opening of the supported container thereby deflecting said detected container laterally off said table to a position on said arm and under said guide rail to hold the container against return movement, said table then returning to its horizontal position with its said guiding edge adjacent a vertical side of the container, and means for moving said deflected container along said guiding edge and off said platform arm.

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